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van1 definition

van (van)

noun

vanguard

Etymology: abbrev. < vanguard

van2 definition

van (van)

noun

  1. Archaic a winnowing machine
  2. Old Poet. a wing

Etymology: ME vanne < MFr van < L vannus, van, fan

van3 definition

van (van)

noun

  1. a closed truck or wagon for moving furniture, carrying freight or people, etc.
  2. a small, closed truck for utility use, as deliveries, repairs, etc., or customized for use as an RV, airport limousine, etc.
  3. Brit.
    1. a closed railroad car for baggage, etc.
    2. a delivery wagon or truck
    3. trailer (sense )

Etymology: contr. < caravan

transitive verb vanned, vanning van′·ning

to transport in a van

intransitive verb

to travel in a recreational van

Related Forms:

van4 definition

van (van; Du vän)

of or from: in Dutch family names, van precedes a place name and together they indicate traditional place of origin
also Van

Etymology: Du; akin to Ger von

Van definition

Van (van)

salt lake in E Turkey: c. 1,450 sq mi (3,755 sq km)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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